Automobile signal



ril v20 1926.

Ap w. A. ECKERT AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL Filed Feb. 1. 1924 2 vSheets-Sheet Patented Apr. 20,1926- WILLIAM A. ECKERT, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

.AUTOMOBILE siGNAL.

Application tiled February 1, 1924. Serial No. 690,083.

To all whom t my concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM' A. EoKnR'r, a, ,citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State'of New York, have invented a new and useful' Im rovement in Automobile Signals, of whlch the :following is aspecification.

This invention relates to an electric signal for automobiles and other vehicles for indicating the direction in which the driver intends to turn his car and it has for itsobjects the provision of a signal for this purpose which is simple and compact in construction, elciefnt in operation and capable of being readily dismembered and assembled for inspection, adjustment and re-v airs.

p Iny the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the signal `embodying my improvements. 'Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section thereof takeny on line 2 2, Fig. 3. Figure 3 is a horizontal'section taken on line 33, Fig, 2.V Figure 4 is a vertical' cross section taken on line 4 4, Fig. 2. Figure 5 is a perspective view of one rof the reflectors of the signal. Figure 6 is a similar view of one of the lamp bases. Figure 7 is a vertical transverse section taken' on line 7 -7', Fig." 2. Figure 8 is a diagram of theV wiring showing the manner of installing m improved signal on opposite sides of the of an automobile. Figure 9 is a horizontal section of a modified form of my invention. Figure 10 A'is a' vertical cross section of the same taken on line 10-10, Fig. 9. Figure 11 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on line 11-11, Fig. 9. e

Similar characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to Figures 1-7, the numeral 20 represents the body of the housing or enclosing casing-ofthe signal which is preferabl constructed of sheet metal of horizontal y elongated and oval formgand having a: rearwardly dished upright rear wall 2.1 and a flange 22 which projects forwardly from the margin of said wall. The central,

part of this housing body is comparatively deep whilet-he opposite end parts thereof are Atapered or inclined forwardly. Extendingacross the front side of the body of the housing is the vertical face plate 23 of the same which is also constructed of metal and provided on its margin with a rearwardly projecting llange 24 adaptedI toremovably ont and rear ends fit around the flange of .the body and to be detachably secured thereto by screws 25 preferably arranged at the opposite extremities of the housing as shown in Figures. 1, 2 and- 3. On opposite sides of the central part of the face plate the same is provided with /two` light openings 26, A26- each of which has preferably the shape of an arrow pointing outwardly. This housing is supported by means of an upright standard having a wide upper section arranged within the central part of the housing and a lower narrow section which is arranged below the housing and adapted to be secured to a part 27 of the automobile as a support, for instance the upper edge portion of the back rest of the rear seat of an automobile so that the signal casing is arranged within the auto compartment and its face is directed rearwardly and is close to the inner side of the rear window 28 of the car, as

shown in Figure 4. The upper section of lthe supporting standard. is U-shaped in horizontal section and has an upright web 29which engages the inner side of the central part ofthe face plate and is secured thereto b rivets 30, or otherwise, and its upright anges 31 project rearwardly from thisvweb and terminate close to the rear wall of thehousng, as shown in Figure 3. The lower section of the standard hasV a narrow plate. 32 which extends from the lower edge 'of the web 29 downwardl through a recess 33 in the central part o the lower flange on the housingI and projects below the latter and terminates in a forwardly project-,f

ing base lange34.- which is secured to a support onthe auto by yscrews 35 or the like. Arranged in front of the plate 32 of the lower part of the standard is a cap which is U-shapedl in horizontal section and rests 1' fwith'its lower end on the base flange 34 and with its upper end against the underside of the housing body and en ages the front edges ofl its anges 36v with t e front side ,of the lower standard the same and its anges 36, aconduit which plate 32 so that its webl '37 is spaced from this plate and forms, with terior of the housing through the recess 33 while its lower end communicates withan opening 38 in the base flange 34. The up part of the standard plate 32 is-providherd on its opposite edges with guide lugs70 which are arranged on the underside of theK housing, as shown in Figures 1 and 2` and.Vx

serve to guide the housing on to the standard while assembling the same. The electrical wires 39 extend through the opening 38, the conduit formed by the plate 32, web 37 and flanges 36, and the recess 33 into the housing for supplying the incandescent electric lamps 40, 41 within the housing with current and illuminating the same. This kconduit cap is provided at its lower edges with retaining lugs 50 engaging with recesses 51 in the flange 34 while its upper end engages frictionally with the underside of the housing and thereby holds this cap in place. These lamps are mounted one above the other on the upper part of the standard so that one lamp is arranged on one side of the standard and within one end compartment of the housing while the other lamp is arranged on the opposite side of the standard and in the other end compartment of the housing. For this purpose the upright flanges 3l of the upper section of the standard are provided with horizontal guide slots 42, 43, which extend to the rear edges of these flanges and are arranged one high and the other low, as shown in Figure 2.

Arranged in the slots 42, 43, are two supporting blocks 44,` 45, respectively, each of which is provided at its upper end and lower edges with horizontal grooves 46, which slidably engage with the corresponding edges of one of the guide slots. Mounted horizontally in any opening 47 in each of these carrying blocks is a supported sleeve o r socket 48, the front and rear ends of which open into one of the compartments and the adjacent part of the upper standard section, respectively. In the rear l Ul part of each supporting sleeve and facing the inner side of the standard is a lamp plug or base 49 having preferably two contact points .52 which connect with two of the. conducting wires 39, and in the front end` of this supporting sleeve is slipped one of the lamps 40, 41, the rear end of which has two contact points 53 adapted to engage with those of the base 49 and thus complete the circuit through the lamp. By thus mounting the lamps one above the other on the upper part of the standard the same can be arranged more compactly without interfering with each other, and it is also possible to provide ample room for running the wires and connecting the same with the lamps. Within each lamp conipartment and engaging with the inner side of the adjacent end portion of the face plate so as to cover the arrow-shaped sight opening therein is a transparent pane 54 of glass or similar materiall which is preferably fitted with its top and bottom and outer end edge with a packing strip 55 of felt or the like to keep the same tight and revent rattling. When either one of the amps is illuminated the light of the same shines through the pane and the respective opening in the face plate and -thus gives a signal in accordance with the shape of this sight opening which indicates the direction I in which the driver intends to turn. The inner side of the body is preferably coated with white enamel, nickel plated or otherwise treated to cause the same to act as a reflector whereby the light of the lamp is directed forwardly through the respective pane and sight opening. `Ars a further aid in the reflection of light from the lamp to cause the same to be distributed over the entire inner side of the respective lamp compartment an auxiliary reector is employed in each compartment which also servesas part of the means for holding the respective lamp in its operative position. In the preferred form each of these auxiliary reflectors is constructed of sheet metal in the form of a cup which has the convex side of its bottom 56 engaging the outer side of one of the flanges orE partitions 31 and y obstruct the passage of light therethrough.

One of these auxiliary reflectors is provided in the lower part of its bottom with an opening 59 which receives the front end of the adjacent low lamp supporting sleeve or socket 48 while the bottom of the other auxiliary reflector is provided with a similar opening 59 on the upper part of its bottom for receiving the front end of the ad-Y jacent high lamp supporting sleeve or socket, as shown in Figure '2, whereby these lamps are arranged at different elevations within-these reflectors and the latter throw the light of the same in opposite directions across the lamp compartment. The inner sides of these' auxiliary reflectors are either polished, white painted or enameled, nickel plated or otherwisey rendered highly reflectant so as to utilize the light of the lamps to the best advantage.

Each of these auxiliary reflectors is held in place on its supporting flange, partition or wall 31 by a headed screw 60 secured to the outer side ofthis flange and passing through a key-hole slot 61 in the bottom of the respective reflector, thereby ermittin the latter to be applied to an remove from this flange without removing the screw. Inasmuch as the front sides of these reflectors bear against the inner side of the window panes and the same also receive the lamp sockets these reflectors serve to retain the panes and lamps in place.

vided whereby either the correspon ing' right hand lamps or the corresponding left hand lamps may be lighted simultaneously. For this purpose the lamps of both signals may be electrically connected with an electric source v62 by two switches 63, 64, one of which controls the circuit through the right hand lamps of both signals and the other the circuit through the left'hand signals, as shown in Figure 8.

A Whe-n the signal is to be used outside of the compartment of an automobile the same may vsecure these panes to the face plate so .thatbe organized as shown in Figures 9, 10 and 11. In this construction the relationA of the standard to the face plate and body ofthe Vhousing is reversed and the upper party of the standard is secured to the body of the housing by rivets 65 passing through the web 66 of the standard and the back of the res 9 and 10, andl the bodyupon removing the fastenin screws 67, when access to the interior of the ousing is desired.

In order to hold the panes of glass in place in this instance a clip 68 is removably secured to the central part of the inner side of the face plate so that the oppositel ends of thisclip overlap the inner side of the panes, as shown in Figures 9 and 11, and thereby the removal of the latter carries the panes with it. In other'res ects this construction is substantially likel t at shown in Figures 18.

The signal is very compact in construction, neat in appearance, effective in operation and readily accessible when any of its parts require attention.

I- claim as my invention:

` l 1'. A signal of the character idescribed comprising a housing, a partition arran ed within the housing and provided with a s ot,

a supporting block arranged in said slot, a tubular socket mounted ony said block, an electric lamp mounted in said socket, and a reflector mounted on said partition and enclosing said lampand provided with an opening which receives said socket.

2. A signal ofthe character describedcomprising a housing, a partition arranged within the housing and provided with a slot, a supporting 'block arranged in said slot,

a tubular socket mounted on said block, an electric-lamp mounted in said socket, a reflector mounted on said partition and enclosing said lamp and provided with anI opening which receives said socket, and provided with'. a key-hole slot, and a headed screw arranged on said partition and engaging with said key-hole slot.

3. A signal of the character described comprising a housing having a body and a face plate on the front side of the body and provided with a sight opening of arrow form, a lamp arranged within the housing, and a reflector enclosing said lamp and having its front part provided with a slot which registers with the shaft of said arrow-shaped opening.

- 4. A signal of the character described comprising a housing having sight openings on its front side and a standard opening on its lower side, a standard extending through said standard opening and having its upper part arranged within the housing and constructed of U-shape, the web of which is secured to a part of the casing and the flanges of which extend across the interior of the housing and form partitions, and lamps mounted on said partitions.

' 5. A signal of the character described comrising a'housino' having sight openings on its front side an 'a standard o ening on its lower side, a standard exten ing through said standard opening and having its upper part arranged within the housing and its lower part arranged below the housin and having the form of a late which terminates in a ,base flange, an a U-sha ed cap` enaging its upper and lower en with said ousing and ase4 flange and engaging its flanges with said plate.

In testimony whereof I 'aix my signature. 

